Okay I had this idea way back in my Heart of Fire Series...sometime around Forest of Secrets or Rising Storms I think. Where Fireheart and her kits (Hawkkit, Bramblekit, Leafkit, Squirrelkit, Tawnykit, Mothkit, and Spottedkit) are exiled from ThunderClan by Bluestar and basically become rogue's and the 'what if' kind of thing. You can imagine this as a fun little AU or something!!!
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ShadowClan
Leader Tigerstar-big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws, formerly of ThunderClan.
Deputy Blackfoot-large white tom with huge jet-black paws, formerly a rogue cat.
Medicine cat Runningnose-small gray-and-white tom.
Warriors
Oakfur-small brown tom.
Littlecloud-very small tabby tom.
Darkflower-black she-cat.
Boulder-silver tabby tom, formerly a rogue cat.
Russetfur-dark ginger she-cat, formerly a rogue cat.
Apprentice, Cedarpaw.
Jaggedtooth-huge tabby tom, formerly a rogue cat.
Apprentice, Rowanpaw.
Queens
Tallpoppy-long-legged light brown tabby she-cat.
Cats outside Clans
Fireheart-pretty ginger she-cat with jade green eyes.
Bramblekit-dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Squirrelkit-dark ginger she-cat with green eyes
Leafkit-light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes and white paws
Spotterkit-dark ginger she-cat with amber eyes
Tawnykit-tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes
Hawkkit-dark brown tom
Mothkit-beautiful golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes.
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Fireheart sat hunched in on herself. Her sleek flame-colored fur plastered to her body as she sat out in the rain. Her poor, scared kits were huddled together inside the log pile that she had managed to find as shelter for them before the rainstorm began. Fireheart knew she should be inside as well, being exposed in such bad weather could be dangerous now without a medicine cat to rely on. The new mother also knew that her kits needed her there to comfort them, to protect them and tell them that everything was going to be alright. But for right now the former ThunderClan warrior just wanted to grieve the loss of her Clan and home. She wanted to grieve for the life that her own kits could have had. She wanted to wallow in self-pity for all these bad things that had happened to her.
It was all because of Tigerclaw. Him and his thirst for power and control. He had not only threatened the lives of so many, but has now also ruined his former mate and kits lives as well. His actions led to Fireheart and her kits being banished from ThunderClan by Bluestar, and though there had been protests from many of Fireheart's friends and loved ones, no one would go against the word of the leader. It was the warrior code, after all.
Being exiled had shocked Fireheart. The she-cat had pleaded and begged. Fireheart even bargained that she give up her own kits in order for them to remain in ThunderClan and she be the only one exiled. But that wasn't it, Bluestar wanted her kits gone, not Fireheart. It broke Fireheart to hear how no one wanted her kits to remain in the Clan, at least not the majority. And Fireheart had to, with a heavy heart, take her kits from the safety of the ThunderClan nursery and be escorted off ThunderClan territory by an apologetic Whitestorm and awkwardly silent Runningwind.
"May StarClan light your path. May you find good hunting, swift running, and shelter when you sleep…" Those had been Whitestorm's parting words as he sadly watched as Fireheart ushered
her kits over the ThunderClan scent markers for the first time ever. Their confused meows at these new surroundings, and the fact that they've never been outside the nursery or camp, making it difficult to keep them together and moving.
Her kits were too small to understand what had happened to them. They didn't know that their lives had been uprooted and that they would never again see their nest inside ThunderClan's nursery, or any of their Clanmates ever again.
Hawkkit, Bramblekit, Leafkit, Squirrelkit, Spottedkit and Tawnykit would never become warriors. Mothkit would never become a medicine cat. They would never experience growing up in a Clan again. They won't experience the pride of becoming an apprentice, or the excitement of exploring ThunderClan's territory, or feeling accomplished with learning to hunt and fight, they won't experience the safety and security that living in a Clan brings you. Or how fulfilling it is to dedicate your life as a warrior and grow up with friends and kin.
The thought of her former Clan made Fireheart wonder what was happening without them there. Graystripe had taken his kits, Featherkit and Stormkit, and joined RiverClan. Cloudpaw had just been a newly made apprentice, and Fireheart hoped that Sandstorm was looking after him in Fireheart's absence. Fireheart wondered what their lives were going to be like now.
"Mama, are you coming in now?" Hawkkit's squeal, one filled with an anxiousness that a kit so young should never have in their tone of voice, brought things back into focus.
"Coming, Hawkkit!" Fireheart meowed, standing up and slipping back inside the narrow opening in the log pile.
Fireheart's kits were huddled up in a knot of fur, in the makeshift nest of pine needles and bracken. They were clearly frightened by the storm, and being in a new place and so far from the ThunderClan camp. Fireheart dried herself safely away from their makeshift nest, not wanting any of her kits to get wet, before quickly grooming herself and coming to curl around her kits protectively inside the nest.
"When are we going back home, mama?" Hawkkit asked, he seemed to be the one speaking for the rest. But it was said quietly, as though Hawkkit didn't want to upset his mother. After all, they had seen how Fireheart stood in the rain for a worrying amount of time. Something Fireheart now regrets doing.
"Well actually, Hawkkit…" Fireheart struggled with what she could say. How do you explain that you've been banished for something that you had no control over? That you weren't at fault but are still getting punished anyway? How could she look into the eyes of her innocent children and shatter their world and everything they ever knew. How, how, how…
"Are we looking for our father?" Squirrelkit drowsy meow startled Fireheart. But the reflection of green eyes, like her own, stared imploringly up at Fireheart. Waiting for a response.
"You're father?" Fireheart murmured, trying to wrap her mind around the thought of him. Tigerclaw had been exiled three sunrises prior to their own exile. The big, dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws, and amber eyes and also former deputy of ThunderClan hadn't been seen since his exile. He could be anywhere by now. "I don't know about--"
"Yes! We're looking for him. Why else would we be out here?" Mothkit interrupted with an excited squeal. "Isn't that right, mother?"
Fireheart didn't have it within herself to explain their situation just yet. She didn't want to burden them so soon with the harsh reality that they were now on their own. That there will be no one to come and help them in times of trouble.
"We shall see." Was Fireheart's vague answer. "Though now it's time for little kits to get some sleep."
Surprisingly, there was no fuss in getting the kits to sleep that night.
O0O0O
It felt strange to hunt for only yourself. It was a thought that plagued Fireheart all morning as she brought back two mice to the pile of logs that was their temporary base of operations until Fireheart can figure out more permanent arrangements. There was no one else to take orders from, no more having to share food or rely on others to bring back more. There was only herself and her kits now.
Speaking of kits. Soon as the little fur-balls caught sight of their mother from the opening of the log pile they all scampered out. They had been staying there by themselves on strict orders not to leave the temporary den when she wasn't present. It was far too dangerous to leave them alone, but Fireheart had no choice seeing as she needed to hunt.
Sometimes, Fireheart thought about taking her kits to her sister, Princess. But as soon as she thinks about it she wipes it from her mind. If Princess found out about their situation she would insist that Fireheart and her kits stay with her. Whether or not that's even possible, Fireheart didn't want her kits being raised as kittypet's. The flame-colored she-cat wanted them to live in the wild, amongst nature and the tree's, hunting their own food and experience the life of independence like she has. Though they now lived their lives like--as rogues, it was much better than being a kittypet.
Then she would think about taking them to Barley's barn. It was much better than living as a kittypet. Plenty of mice for them to eat, making them never go hungry, and she'd get to see Ravenpaw again. The ginger she-cat was sure that both Barley and Ravenpaw would warmly welcome them. But that thought also didn't sit right with her.
What she wanted was for them to live in a Clan. But they were no longer a part of a Clan, not since they've been banished.
Fireheart sighed to herself, before perking backup and warmly greeting her kits. They needed to see their mother strong and capable right now. Even if it were just an outer illusion, when inside Fireheart was scrambling at what she would do.
"How was hunting?" Tawnykit squeaked, scampering around her mother's paws alongside her siblings. "What did you catch?"
"She caught mice," Hawkkit said, rolling his eyes as though it should be obvious. "Were they hard to catch?"
"Not for mother!" Leafkit praised, "She's one of the best hunters ever!"
Fireheart's heart warmed at her children's praise. They were the best thing that could ever happen in her life. If anything that could willingly cause her to give up everything, it was her kits. She didn't regret giving up her old life, not if it meant she had to give them up. But now she was on her own and having to look after seven kits by herself.
"Mother, mother! You never guess what we saw while you were away!" Mothkit meowed, sounding excited.
"Oh? And what would that be, Mothkit?" Fireheart murmured as she set down her catch by the pile of logs.
"We saw a strange cat looking around through the trees!" Squirrelkit answered before Mothkit could. "but I don't think they saw us!"
"A strange cat?" Fireheart was alarmed by this. They haven't seen anyone else since they left ThunderClan's borders. They have been sticking to the edges of the woods and actively avoiding others. Fireheart didn't know who to trust, especially now when she and her kits were alone and vulnerable.
"What did this cat look like?" Fireheart demanded.
"They were a big, skinny gray tom with a torn, ragged ear, and amber eyes!" Squirrelkit happily replied, only to be hissed at by Hawkkit.
"No, mouse-brain! He had blue eyes!" Hawkkit corrected.
"No, he had amber eyes. Flea-brain!"
"They were blue! Bee-brain!"
"Feather-brain!"
"Frog-face!"
"Buzz--"
"Enough!" Fireheart physically separated her kits. Giving both of them a hard stare. Squirrelkit and Hawkkit at least had the decency to look at least a little guilty. "Don't insult each other."
"Sorry," both kits murmured together as the rest of their siblings looked on smugly.
"Do you know what they might have been doing?" Fireheart asked, wanting to know everything.
"We don't know." Leafkit piped up. "But it looked as though he was just looking around!"
Fireheart had her misgivings but didn't want to upset her kits. So instead she decided just to warn them, "If you see this cat again, don't interact with them. Just stay hidden and be careful." And that was that.
...
Until it wasn't.
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This was supposed to be a one-shot but it seems as though it's going to be a two-shot!!!